Wang Xiaochen, Wang Yanan, Yang Shufei, Li Zhen, Fu Chang
Department of Health Service and Management, School of Health and Management, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong, China.
Department of Rehabilitation Therapy, School of Medicine, Qingdao Huanghai University, Qingdao, Shandong, China.
Front Psychiatry. 2025 Aug 20;16:1608527. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1608527. eCollection 2025.
The relationship between social media addiction and depressive symptoms has been extensively studied; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unexplored. This study examined the mediating roles of social appearance anxiety and body checking behaviors in this relationship. This research aims to address the gap in understanding how social media addiction influences mental health, particularly among college students.
Data from 1,456 students recruited from three universities in Shandong, China, were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Demographic characteristics of the participants were collected and assessed for social appearance anxiety, body checking behaviors, social media addiction, and depressive symptoms.
The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 13.9% in the study sample. Social appearance anxiety, body checking behavior, and social media addiction were significantly and positively correlated with depressive symptoms ( = 0.367 - 0.519, < 0.001). Social media addiction directly and positively predicted depressive symptoms with a direct effect value of 0.173. Furthermore, social appearance anxiety and body checking behavior played independent and serial multiple mediating roles in the association between social media addiction and depressive symptoms, with indirect effect values of 0.193, 0.035, and 0.235, respectively.
Social media addiction is a significant risk factor contributing to depressive symptoms among college students. This study provides new insight into the mechanisms underlying the relationship between social media addiction and mental health, with implications for global mental health interventions. Specifically, the negative impact of social media addiction is mediated by social appearance anxiety and body checking behavior. These findings suggest that school administrators and policymakers should develop targeted interventions to reduce social media addiction among college students and prioritize providing psychological support to alleviate social appearance anxiety and promote a healthy body image. By addressing these factors, this research contributes to a broader understanding of mental health challenges in the digital age.
社交媒体成瘾与抑郁症状之间的关系已得到广泛研究；然而，其潜在机制仍未得到探索。本研究考察了社交外表焦虑和身体检查行为在这种关系中的中介作用。本研究旨在填补在理解社交媒体成瘾如何影响心理健康方面的空白，尤其是在大学生群体中。
对从中国山东三所大学招募的1456名学生的数据进行结构方程模型分析。收集参与者的人口统计学特征，并评估社交外表焦虑、身体检查行为、社交媒体成瘾和抑郁症状。
研究样本中抑郁症状的患病率为13.9%。社交外表焦虑、身体检查行为和社交媒体成瘾与抑郁症状显著正相关（= 0.367 - 0.519，< 0.001）。社交媒体成瘾直接正向预测抑郁症状，直接效应值为0.173。此外，社交外表焦虑和身体检查行为在社交媒体成瘾与抑郁症状的关联中发挥独立且连续的多重中介作用，间接效应值分别为0.193、0.035和0.235。
社交媒体成瘾是导致大学生抑郁症状的一个重要风险因素。本研究为社交媒体成瘾与心理健康之间关系的潜在机制提供了新的见解，对全球心理健康干预具有启示意义。具体而言，社交媒体成瘾的负面影响是通过社交外表焦虑和身体检查行为介导的。这些发现表明，学校管理人员和政策制定者应制定有针对性的干预措施，以减少大学生中的社交媒体成瘾现象，并优先提供心理支持，以减轻社交外表焦虑，促进健康的身体形象。通过解决这些因素，本研究有助于更广泛地理解数字时代的心理健康挑战。
